Surfing Star Karim Braire Accused of Rape, Torture, Acts of Barbarism Against Partner and Kids

Karim Braire admitted to one "evening" of severe beatings in 2022 and "educational" slaps on the children — but contested sequestration, torture, rapes, and most child abuse.

In the shadow of the Pyrenees, that pretty mountain range that divides France and Spain, the criminal court in Pau has become the unlikely stage for the final chapter in the saga of Karim Braire, a 45-year-old man once celebrated in French media as an inspirational big-wave surfer.

BeachGrit readers know ol Karim Braire. JT Albert wrote about him seven years back.

Read: From the real-life miracle department, This French surfer paddled 40-foot Nazaré during WSL big-wave contest, “Born in the ghetto, learned to swim and surf at 18, six-figure contract with Quiksilver, best-selling author and, soon, movie star?”

Albert writes:

About lunchtime, a lone, bald paddler appeared stroking his way in towards the first peak from around the point.

“Who dat guy?” said G-Mac.

“Wooaah,” said Makua. “Paddling?”

What he riding?” wondered G-Mac. “Look like a 9’6” or something.”

Turns out, in a sea of jet exhaust, one brave Frenchman decided it was in fact more much more of a paddle day. He went for one, kinda got sucked over, tried to duckdive(!) some whitewaters before ending up on the sand. The camera duly zoomed in on our new hero on the beach, blowing a bit but defiant, a five-year-old Paris St Germain football jersey over the top of a Decathlon wetsuit.

“That’s so irresponsible,” said someone holding a walkie talkie (which, btw in French, is talkie walkie).

“He’s jeopardising the safety protocol,” grumbled another.

“He doesn’t even have his own ski.”

“He’s not even on the right equipment.’. Etc, etc.

Someone else, who wasn’t part of the big wave safety scene, perhaps summed it up better.

“If that cunt doesn’t get a root tonight….”

Turns out our man is Karim Braire, who appeared on TF1’s (France’s national broadcaster) prime time 7 à 8 show last year with an incredible backstory.

The v.o. went something like:

“He grew up in the ghettos of Orléans. At 18, unable to swim and hundreds of km’s from the ocean, he chanced upon a surf magazine and decided to become a surfer. He signed a six-figure contract with Quiksilver, and now he’s one of the best surfers in the world.”

With such a compelling rags-to-rad story, the media appearances kept on coming. Several other TV channels in France gave him airtime. His biography, ‘Zarma Sunset’ received rave reviews and got optioned for a film by top French actor/producer Dany Boon.

That’s when the trouble started.

Turns out, rather than use footage of himself surfing for the TV shows, Karim had used clips of Justine Dupont surfing instead.

“A guy using shots of a girl to show ‘his exploits’, that’s a first!” said Justine on Twitter.

“Never seen a trace of a Quiksilver contract in his name,” said Quik’s Miky Picon via a French surf website.

“I’m tripping. Massive liar… can’t believe the media don’t check their sources,” said Benjamin Sanchis, the noted French surfer.

Now, almost a decade later, Karim Braire faces court.

From December 15 to 17, 2025, Braire stood trial on charges: rape accompanied by torture or acts of barbarism against his former partner, habitual violence against her, acts of torture or barbarism, and violence against their three minor children (aged approximately 15, 10, and 4 at the time of the events).

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As of December 17, 2025 — the trial’s concluding day — deliberations will begin soon with an announcement later today.

Karim Braire, who has been in jail September 2022, faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted on the most severe counts.

Testimony in Pau revealed alleged domestic horror. His ex-partner, referred to as Myriam, described 14 years of psychological “emprise” — insidious control through denigration, isolation, and fear.

“I was afraid all the time,” she testified, saying she no longer felt like herself.

Physical violence escalated: repeated beatings with an electrical cable (often from a beard trimmer), insults, and threats.

The eldest daughter recounted hiding to vomit after strikes during athletics training, and a home where “we constantly had fear of dying.

Sexual allegations centered on imposed practices, sometimes extreme, without consent — framed by prosecutors as rapes tied to coercive control.

Karim Braire denied these outright: “Sexual violence, not at all… I never imposed anything.”

The apex came in July 2022 in Morocco.

After Myriam’s delayed return due to Covid restrictions, Braire allegedly sequestered her for a week in a basement without ventilation or water, beating her nightly.

“I thought I was going to die,” she said.

Medical photos showed severe bruises. She fled with the children during his absence, reaching Tangier and eventually France.

Karim Braire admitted partial violence — one “evening” of severe beatings in 2022 and “educational” slaps on the children — but contested sequestration, torture, rapes, and most child abuse.

Experts labeled him narcissistic, manipulative, and mythomaniac, a wild bullshit artist in other words.

Buy his book here.